Detective Felber reassigned

Akron police detective Vince Felber, son of retired printer Frank Felber, was temporarily assigned to light desk duty this week while the police department investigation into his book about the Cynthia George case proceeds for the next two to three weeks.

Perfect Beauty, authored by Felber and New York writer Keith Elliot Greenberg, was released this month by St. Martin's Press. The book chronicles the 2001 murder of Jeff Zack, a Stow businessman, and the subsequent arrests of his lover, Cynthia George, and her other lover, John Zaffino..

In the book, Felber, a 16-year veteran, offers an insider's look into the detective bureau's sometimes stormy investigation of what became one of the city's most provocative murder cases. Along the way, Felber reveals interdepartmental disputes and criticisms of fellow detectives and supervisors of how the investigation was conducted.

He also writes about the department's lack of basic police equipment, such as modern tape recorders and cell phones for some detectives.

On Tuesday, Felber, 46, said he was told the internal investigation centers on his book and whether he violated department rules by what he wrote. It is unclear who initiated the investigation. Police Chief Michael Matulavich did not return a call for comment.

''I wrote the most honest book I could. I made mistakes, too, and they're in there as well,'' Felber said. ''If I did anything wrong by writing the book, my defense is that it's the truth. And if telling the truth is something that gets me in trouble, then I guess I'm in trouble.''

Greenberg covered the trial for Geraldo At Large.

Here’s the promo for the book on Bantam’s website:

Cynthia George was the stunning wife of one of Akron Ohio’s most successful restaurateurs, and mother of seven. She flaunted her money, her body…even her extra-marital affairs. Until she got in too deep with Jeff Zack, her younger, longtime lover who was also the father of one of her children—a secret that she kept for many years.

In a crime that shocked the heartland, Zack was killed, execution style, in the parking lot of a BJ’s Wholesale Club in Akron. From the beginning, investigators suspected Cynthia was involved. Little did they know that her other lover was the murderer. John Zaffino knew about Cynthia’s affair with Zack—and was jealous enough to do something about it…for good.

The Beacon Journal story provides a saner report you might want to read. Click on the headline. Or you can buy the book for $6.99